Exploding Stoves Etc.

[dla]

I just picked up a Vargo and I am very disappointed in it.

It sputters and leaks around the edge. I didn't overfill it but it still burned off the fuel too quickly.

It's a marginal design in my opinion. I know some people have had great times with them, but it's not going in my pack.

Vargo seems to get a lot of negative reviews.

[Pest]

Vargo seems to get a lot of negative reviews.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/revi...Term%20Report/

Special Note:

Responding to the consistent reports of flare-ups with the Triad, Vargo re-issued the testers replacement stoves. Apparently, there was a defect in the original manufacturing run in which the two stove halves were not properly sealed. This resulted in fuel leakage around the mating seam when the stove heated during the priming cycle. I am pleased to report that the newer model has exhibited none of the tendency to flare that the original did. An additional improvement, at least on the stove I received, is the leg hinges are now stiff enough that the legs remain in place when either open or closed. This makes the stove much easier to handle and pack and seems a bit more stable when cooking. These two changes have raised my opinion of the Triad considerably.

[Brasslite]

All these stories about pressurized alcohol stoves popping and "exploding" point to the main reason that Brasslite discontinued making pressurized stoves and went to an open container design. If you think a bursting soda can is bad, imagine a brass container soldered shut with high temp solder. Early on I had one of those blow up on me...NOT pretty and very scary.

Anytime the pressure in the stove exceeds the stove's ability to vent the vapor, there is a risk of explosion. This can happen if preheating a stove and too much fuel is used. When lighting a pressurized stove with the cap off, oxygen has gotten inside the container and mixed with the alcohol vapor. A cooling stove that has been extinguished and still has alcohol remaining actually draws air into the container. If you try to light it again, the vapor ignites all at once inside and the resulting force may exceed the load strength of the container.

[Ridgerunner50]

I have never had one of my pressurized alky stove explode BUT....I had a bad finger flaming experience when trying to add more fuel to what I thought was an extinguished soda can stove. We had finished our hike and was spending the last night at Big Creek , in the Smokies, before heading home. My buddy still laughs about the dance I was doing trying to extinguish the fuel bottle and my hand. I also kicked the stove setting my shoe on fire. I had my blistered finger in a cup of ice water all evening. I was forced to consume 4 or 5 Budweisers and take a Vicoden and sleep with my hand slipped through a crack in the tent door and my finger in a cup of ice. By morning, it felt just fine, with no throbbing or tenderness. I learned a BIG lesson on that one. I know, BONEHEAD!!! Then when we get back home, my zone manager stops by at work and asks about my vacation and inquires about something to do with a stove and explosion. Apparently, he had stopped at my buddies store and got the whole lowdown on the event. Oh well, I still have all my fingers, toes, and eyebrows.

[moonpie]

I got bit by the DIY bug many years ago...and recently it moved into the hiking/backpacking relm...longer story short....I made a penny stove and have posted my questions about it...today I got a bottle of the yellow HEET. I poured it in and struck the lighter over it..."POOF"...stupid me thought it went out...I went to reprime the stove and yep...you guessed it...it was still lit!!! The fluid got on my left hand and then I was LIT!!! I've got a few blisters, less hair on my left arm and a good case of "boy that was stupid syndrome".

Just a note from the new guy...be very careful!!!

For those who realy want to know....the HEET was the trick...it fixed my stove primming problems and worked great...now that the throbbing has left my hand...and my embarrisment is not as obvious...I can admit that it was stupid of me to do that and that I should have put my hand over the stove to feel for heat first...hind sight is 20/20!!!

[zelph]

My first thread on WB, almost 4 years ago, was this one on stove mishaps. Does anyone have anything to add to it just for the fun of it. We could put Dlarsons video in here of the remote fueled stove being tested in his kitchen.

I havn't seen this thread in a long time(2007) so I thought it was time to bump it up

[Desert Reprobate]

We need a contest to see whose stove can boil the elephant the fastest.

[jrwiesz]

We need a contest to see whose stove can boil the elephant the fastest.

Asian or African?

[zelph]

Here is one that's interesting:



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[Stoviegal]

Here is one that's interesting:



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It's reasons like that I keep everything handy to put out a fire as quickly as possible; and also why I prefer low pressure stoves like the Starlyte stove. That was one scary video.

[Spokes]

Imagine if that was inside the vestibule of your tent!

[Stoviegal]

Imagine if that was inside the vestibule of your tent!

Anyone smart enough to light up one of those stoves inside their tent, well....

[Wheeler]

I realize that the Esbit is Lighter and smaller,can be used over and over. These things may turn you off, besides, there is no chance of it ever exploding. Yeah, nevermind

[Stoviegal]

I realize that the Esbit is Lighter and smaller,can be used over and over. These things may turn you off, besides, there is no chance of it ever exploding. Yeah, nevermind

I'm curious about the Esbit. I think after the thrill of making alcohol stoves wear's off, I may consider using it. I have to read up on it a bit more though, I think I've heard someone mention it doesn't burn so clean. I may have misunderstood. I will look into Esbit a bit more. Right now the alcohol stoves is more about the fun factor. But in the long run, I'll weigh the pluses and minuses of between the types.

[bullseye]

I think after the thrill of making alcohol stoves wear's off

Blasphemy!

[zelph]

Here is one that's interesting:



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Keep in mind everyone, minibull sells remote fueled stoves that can cause serious problems in the hands of novice stove users. Plastic tubes dry out due to alcohol and get brittle in cold weather, expand in hot weather and in close quarters with hot stove and trapped heat by the windscreen. Lots of variables to be concerned with.

[Spokes]

Keep in mind everyone, minibull sells remote fueled stoves that can cause serious problems in the hands of novice stove users. Plastic tubes dry out due to alcohol and get brittle in cold weather, expand in hot weather and in close quarters with hot stove and trapped heat by the windscreen. Lots of variables to be concerned with.

Heck, if I wanted a remote fuel stove I'd go back to my old MSR Whisperlite-- NOT!

[d40mFc]

Except that's not a minibull stove.

[zelph]

I bumped this thread up so that scoutmasters and folks with scouts in their families can see some things that can happen with DIY stoves.

It's for those who wonder why rules are made for the scouting programs.

There used to be a youtube video of 4-5 scouts lighting a stove that scared the daylights out of them when it went Kaboooom. Video was removed from you tube.

[Slo-go'en]

Ha, when I saw the exploding stove tag line, I thought it was about the Coleman Peak One stoves. Seen quite a few of those go up in a ball of flame.